Nigerian chess champion Tunde Onakoya is making major waves around the world after a perfect storm of two amazing events happened to him simultaneously—an internet-breaking viral video and a world-record-breaking marathon game in NYC.
Whether it’s African culture or intellectual strength, Tunde Onakoya chess marathon record he is leading the way for Africa on the world stage.
Viral Event: Tunde Onakoya Plays Chess “In Agbada” For The World To See
It’s a simple video showing a very cool move by the famous Nigerian chess player Tunde Onakoya, who plays chess dressed in an agbada suit—in what some have called a Louvre style game.
What made the video a hit? It was more than just another video of Onakoya; it highlighted everything that makes him unique—an African and a chess master all wrapped in one!
Breaking Records While Playing in Times Square
As the viral video took the internet by storm, Onakoya was at the same time setting an impressive record at Times Square.
Onakoya beat the Guinness World Records mark of playing chess for more than 58 hours straight after the old record of 56 hours set in 2018 had been broken.
Despite his physical and mental state, Onakoya persevered in the marathon, even when he was tired.
Community Support
Soon after, the atmosphere in Times Square transformed into one that celebrated Nigerian culture.
The Nigerians in the diaspora gathered in large numbers to show their support for Onakoya in Times Square by singing, cheering, and providing luxurious meals such as jollof rice.
Some notable figures graced the event, including Davido, the Afrobeats superstar.
Many other people were watching the event online on Twitch, leaving supportive comments.
National Pride and Endorsements
His efforts have not gone unnoticed in Nigeria.
Accordingly, the vice-president of Nigeria, Kashim Shettima, described Onakoya as an example of resilience and excellence, and the governor of Lagos, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, hailed him as proof that any man can turn out to be a great man.
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From Lagos Slums to Worldwide Impact
But Onakoya’s story is not just about his success at the game at the age of 29.
Having grown up in the floating slums of Lagos, he believes chess made his life better. Now he uses his initiative, Chess in Slums Africa, to help thousands of children around him.
He has started providing disadvantaged children with access to learning chess, guidance from mentors, and educational opportunities in exchange for their strategic skills.
Furthermore, Tunde sits on the board of The Gift of Chess organization, whose goal is to make one million chess sets available globally by 2030.
Conclusion
Onakoya’s accomplishment is much more than just setting a new record or receiving global attention.
Having successfully merged the culture of the nation with intelligence, Onakoya created an event that extends beyond Nigeria. Furthermore, the personal story of Onakoya overcoming obstacles and receiving global recognition demonstrates how leveraging one’s innate abilities can be extremely powerful.
